System for determining vehicle parameters



Nov. 3, 1964 Q w. GRIMM ETAL SYSTEM Fox DETERmNlNG VEHICLE PARA METERS 4 Shaetshee t l Filed may 9, 1961 NOV- 3, 1964 G. w. GRIMM ETAL SYSTEM .FOR DETERMINING VEHICLE PARAMETERS Filed May 9, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTUR/V'YS Nov. 3, 1964 G. W. GRIMM ETAL.

SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING VEHICLE PARAMETERS Filed May 9. 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 ro A f (Apof/vr p) N0 3, w64 G. w. GRIMM ETAL SYSTEM EOE DETEEMINING VEHICLE PARAMETERS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 UNO/ 339 Filed May 9, 1961 United States Patent O 3,155,937 SYSTEM FR DETERMENING VETHQLE PARAMETERS George W. Grimm, New York, and Patrick 3. MeKeown,

Syosset, NX., assignors to Sperry Rand Corporation,

Ford Ensn'ument Company Division, Wilmington, Del.,

a corporation or Delaware Filed May 9, 195i, Ser. No. @8,827 Claims. (Cl. 34th-) This invention relates to navigation systems and particularly to systems for determining the position and velocity of a submerged vehicle.

Hither-to navigation systems for underwater vehicles and targets have depended on pulse techniques which, in general, require individual pulse identiiication in order to make the necessary computations. The desired information is derived as a function ot time of pulse travel and certain other pulse characteristics. Because it must be certain that the pulse received is the pulse transmitted, the spacing of the transmitted pulse is limited for a given range unless rather complex expedients are adopted to identify the individual pulses. Since these techniques can only be employed to determine position at the time the pulse was transmitted, present position being extrapolated therefrom, it is desirable that the pulse repetition rate be high especially for the relatively fast and maneuverable underwater vehicles ot today. Another advantage of high pulse repetition rate is that the high frequencies associated with the high pulse repetition rate are more quickly attenuated than low frequencies which is a pulse characteristic employed to limit its useful range so as to minimize the possibility of a receiver outside the range of interest being used in the computing process. It is because of this possibility that the receivers Within the range of interest are normally rather closely spaced. However, as mentioned above, the need for pulse identiication imposes a limit on the pulse repetition rate notwithstanding the advantages of a high rate.

The system which is arranged according to the present inventive concept avoids the problem of pulse repetition rate. It depends in essence on the use of a precision frequency projector which is located on the moving vehicle and a group of receivers of precisely known location and capable of accepting and passing to a computer the basic frequency of the projector plus or minus the Doppler frequency shift of this frequency. It is basically, therefore, a Doppler system for navigational computation as opposed to a pulse-time system in which the pulses travel from the projector to the target and back to the receiver.

The new system is employed to record and display position and velocity information. In addition, it may be associated with computers which can receive its coordinate position output to determine the instantaneous orientation of the vehicle and its velocity vector. While there are particular advantages in employing the system as an underwater navigation device, it may also be used in connection with surface and airborne vehicles which employ electromagnetic radiating devices.

One embodiment of the novel navigation system Will now be described in detail, this description being taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FiG. l is a block diagram of `the system for determining vehicle parameters,

FIG. 1A is a block. diagram of the gamma-beta computing unit which receives the output of the alpha computer for one of the hydrophones,

FIG. 2 is a velocity diagram in a single plane,

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing hydrophone and vehicle positions in a reference coordinate system,

FIG. 4 is a schematic of the alpha computer,

3,l55,%7 lfatetrltecl Nov. 3, 1964 ICC FlGS. 5a 5c are related frequency-voltage diagrams.

As shown in the block diagram of PEG. l there are provided four hydrophone receivers 1, 2, 3 and 4 located at known stations Within the range of interest of a submarine. A precision frequency projector on the submarine transmits a sound frequency fo through the Water medium at a velocity of V0. The submarine and hydrophones are positioned with respect to a master coordinate system. The coordinates of the hydrophone 1 in this system are al, b1, and c1; the coordinates of the hydrophone 2 in the system are a2, b2 and c2; the coordinates of the hydrophone 3 are a3, b3 and c3; and the coordinates of the hydrophone 4 are a4, b4 and c4.

Each of the hydrophones is connected to an alpha computing unit, and a gamma-beta computer which perform identical computations for the several hydrophones. The mathematical derivatives of the equations solved in the computers are set forth in the Appendix. The computers following the alpha computing units may be special purpose or the equations may be solved by any one of several standard general computers which are presently known and used such as the lBM 7G90. The alpha computer units Will be described below.

The alpha computing unit l2 is connected to receive the Doppler frequency f1, from the hydrophone receiver 1 while the alpha computing units i3, i4 and 15 receive the Doppler frequencies f2, f3 and f4 from the hydrophone receivers 2, 3 and 4 respectively. The alpha computing unit I2; solves the equation este) for gamma. As shown in FIG. 1A squaring unit 24 and differentiating circuit of gamma-beta computing unit Ztl receive a, from the alpha computer unit 12. Similarly squaring and differentiating units in gamma-beta computers 2l, 22 and 23 receive alpha quantities from alpha computer units 1 3, ld and l5 respectively.

A simultaneous equation solver 35 receives the gamma and beta outputs of each gamma-beta computing unit and also receives manually the known position coordinates a, b and c of the four hydrophones. Four equations are set up in the solver to solve for the four unknown quantities, namely the three position coordinates of the submarine x, y and z and its velocity V. The x, y and z positions are recorded and displayed on planar components and the velocity V is visually indicated in the record and display unit 36.

The quantities x, y and z and V may be placed into a vectorial quantity solver (not shown) for the purpose of determining vectorial velocity V Which is equal to z1r+jy+ke and the instantaneous position of the submarines orientation which is equal to iab-j-jy-t-ka.

From the examination of the equation for alpha, a, it can be seen 4that alpha is equal to the Doppler quantity 7'1- fo times a constant Vn/f. The alpha computing unit, therefore, derives quantities which are a function of f1-f0 in the form of a comparison DC. voltage and multiplies thev voltage by a constant representing the for beta and .ma ltr f 3 l l quotient of V and fo. To this end, as shown in FIG. 4, the alpha computer comprises two identical sections, Section I and Section II. The hydrophone output f1 is placed inflinear amplifier 40 the output of rwhich is introduced to frequency mixer 41 in Section I and mixer 41a in Section II. The frequency fo projected from the submarine is also placed in the mixers by manual control 42 and precision frequency oscillators 43 and 43a respectively. The output of the oscillator 43 is fo-Afmax and the output of the oscillator 43a is fO-t-Afmax where Af is equal to the Doppler frequency shift f1-f0. As shown in the Appendix alpha, a, is equal to for each hydrophone output computation; therefore, the

quantity Af is necessary to compute. In general, this is achieved by combining two frequency-voltage straight line functions, which are each shown in FIG. a and FIG. 5b, respectively, so that the output is voltage proportioned to the Doppler frequency shift, the latter relation being shown in FIG. 5c. The components between themixers and the Voltage combining components are the same in the two sections so only one section will be described.

Amplifier 44 receives the output of the mixer 41 and the amplifier voltage representing the precision oscillator frequency with the hydrophone signal frequency impressed thereon is applied to detector and low pass lter 45 which pass an oscillation frequency proportioned to the difference between the hydrophone signal frequency and the precision oscillator frequency. The detected frequency is amplied by amplifier 46 and introduced to voltage limiter 47. Diiferentiator 48 receives the limiter output and is designed to produce sharp positive and negative pulses corresponding in magnitude to the detected frequency. Rectifier 50 cuts off the negative pulses in Section I and rectier Sila cuts oif the positive pulses in Section II. These pulses are further sharpened by pulse Shaper 51 and 51a in the two sec-tions and integrated to produce a generally straight line voltage function by integrators 52 and 52a, these functions being smoothed to produce the voltage frequency lines as shown in FIG. 5 by smoothing circuits 53 and 53a. The two voltages are respectively introduced to the two sides of network 54 the amplified output of which is proportional to the frequency shift ,f1-fo. As shown lin Equation 6 in the Appendix alpha is equal to the constant V/fo times the Doppler frequency shift Af. Accordingly, the output of the network 54 is divided by fo by means of potentiometer 55, which is mechanically controlled by the manual insert 42 and multiplied by means of the potentiometer 56 whose wiper is driven by the manually operated crank 58. Values for alpha may then appear on the output lead 60.

It is assumed that the hydrophone is at the center O of an x, y and z coordinate system and that the underwhere V0 is the velocity of sound inwater or (7) @cos @M-1);@

The quantity voti-1) which we call oc can be computed from the observed frequency f. Hence we have:

(8) a=v cos gb The rate of change of or with respect to time is by differentation. (9) 02=v sin ma By looking at the gure we see that (1o) rqt=v sin a Combining these we get:

U2 (11) sin2 qa where a is obtained from data oc by differentiation with respect to time. By squaring 8 and combining with 11 Correction Due to Elapsed Time It is to be notedl that the sound wave travels through the water at velocity v0. Thus the frequency of the sound wave inthe immediate neighborhood of the missile reaches the hydrophone at a later time. Hence at the time when the data is received andthe radius is calculated according to Equation 13, the missile has moved. Calling the quantity in Equation 13, r calc., the -true radius is r=r calerl--Z- calc. T

where T is the elapsed time.

NOW to consider FIGURE 2 and Formula 8 we see that dr (14) i-v eosqb-a Also the elapsed time is:

r calc. v0 where v0 is the velocity of the sound. Hence:

(16) r=r oalc.|o;-74 calc.

0 :(l-I-t-X) r calc. 1lo Combining this result with Equation 13 gives the true distance to the missile at the time the distance is calculated This formula may be written in a more convenient form. Separating terms:

aveva-nera.

di, di

This is our final formula for a single hydrophone in terms of the computable quantities ,8 and y and the as yet unknown v.

H ydrophone Arrays In the foregoing, we have derived Formula 19 which gives the true instantaneous distance from a single hydrophone to a moving vehicle in terms of the data ot and dat and the unknown velocity magnitude v. A system of hydrophones will therefore give a distance from each one to the vehicle in terms of the common unknown v. To determine the position of a point in space with respect to a coordinate system we need three distances. Since the distances provided by the hydrophones contain an additional unknown quantity v, we have altogether four unknowns and we need four simultaneous equations. Therefore in general we need a minimum of four non-coplanar hydrophones. The following analysis will illustrate this case.

In FIG. 3 one hydrophone His shown located at coordinates al, b1, c1. The data comes in to this hydrophone and we compute the constants l and y1 and write Formula 19 in terms of v2 as follows:

(20) T1:.B1'Y1V2 In this formula r1 is the distance in terms of v2 from the hydrophone and we imagine a sphere surounding it. The equation of this sphere is:

Similarly we get for the four hydrophones (rewriting above):

Hence we carirewrite these equations as a set of simultaneous equations for the coordinates of the missile in terms of x, y, z.

Similarly we get the four hydrophones (rewriting above):

The quantities al, b1, c1; a2, b2, c2 etc., :are the positions of the hydrophones and are known.

The quantities l, fy1; 32, v2 etc., are calculated from incoming data and are therefore known.

The quantity v common to all four equations is unknown. We are now looking for a solution to the above for a particular point in space; the x, y and z coordinates of the vehicle are, of course, the same. Therefore:

Hence we can rewrite these equations as a set of simultaneous equations for the coordinates of the missile in terms of x, y, z.

These are four simultaneous equations for the four unknowns x, y, x and v in terms of the known quantities al, a2 b1,b2. .hyh eC.

If the instantaneous direction of the velocity vector is desired, this can be obtained from the above result by differentiating with respect to time.

The coordinates of the position x, y, z are now known from Equations 27-30. The components of the velocity are simply:

Solutions for and may be calculated inV vectorial computers, if desired.

Various modifications of the embodiment of invention which is described above may be effected by persons skilled in the art Without departing from the scope and principle of invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A navigational system employing a plurality of devices adapted to receive and pass transmitted energy having a frequency modified by Doppler frequency shift, said devices being positioned in a known location, an alpha computer connected to each of said devices, a gamma and beta computer connected to each alpha computer and a simultaneous equation solver receiving the output of the gamma and beta computers and yielding vehicle position and velocity information, each alpha computer having means for deriving the quantity alpha in terms of the known value of the velocity of the transmitted energy, the known value of the frequency of the transmitted energy and the frequency of the transmitted energy modified by Doppler frequency shift, said gamma and beta computer having means for squaring the alpha output of the alpha computers, means for differentiating with respect to time the output of the alpha computers and means connected to said squaring and differentiating means for deriving beta and gamma quantities as a function of alpha,

Vthe derivative of alpha with respect to time and the velocity o f the transmitted energy and said simultaneous equation solver having means for computing the said vehicle position and velocity information in terms of the velocity of the source of said transmitted energy, the computed gamma and beta quantities and the known position coordinates of each of the said devices, the quantities alpha, Vbeta and gamma being defined as follows:

alpha (a)=V @-1) l gamma ('y) (1+V0 (E) wherein fu is sound frequency in water V0 is sound velocity in Water and f1 is a Doppler shifted frequency.

2. A navigation system employing a plurality of devices adapted to receive and pass transmitted energy having a frequency modified by Doppler frequency shift, said devices being positioned in a known location, an alpha computer connected to each of said devices, a gamma and beta computer connected to each alpha computer and a simultaneous equation solver receiving the output of the gamma and beta computers and yielding vehicle position and velocity information, said solver being connected to receive coordinate position data for each of said devices, each alpha computer having means for deriving the quantity alpha in terms of the known value of the velocity of the transmitted energy, the known value of the frequency of the transmitted energy and the frequency of the transmitted energy modified by Doppler frequency shift, said gamma and beta computer having means for squaring the alpha output of the alpha computers, means for differentiating with respect to time the output of the alpha computers and means connected to said squaring and differentiating means for deriving beta and gamma quantities as a function of alpha, the derivative of alpha with respect to time and the velocity of the transmitted energy and said simultaneous equation solver having means forcomputing the said vehicle position and velocity information in terms of the velocity of the source of said transmitted energy, the computed gamma and beta quantities and the known position coordinates of each of the said devices, the quantities alpha, beta and gamma being defined as follows:

alpha (a) :V0 (jg-1) V neous equation solver receiving the output of the gamma and beta computers and yielding vehicle position and velocity information, said solver being connected to receive coordinate position data for each of said devices, each alpha computer having means for deriving the quantity alpha in terms of the known value of the velocity of the transmitted energy, the known value of the frequency of the transmitted energy and the frequency of the transmitted energy modified by Doppler frequency shift, said gamma and beta computer having means for squaring the alpha output of the alpha computers, means for differentiating with respect to time the output of the alpha computers and means connected to said squaring and differentiating means for deriving beta and gamma quantities as a function of alpha, the derivative of alpha with respect to time and the velocity of the transmitted energy and said simultaneous equation solver having means for computing the said vehicle position and velocity information in terms of the velocity of the source of said transmitted energy, the computed gamma and beta quantities and the known position coordinates of each of the said devices, the quantities alpha, beta and gamma being defined as follows;

alpha (a) :V0 Gi-1) a 1 gamma (i) 0i-1,9012) wherein fn is sound frequency in water, V0 is sound velocity in water and f1 is a Doppler shifted frequency.

4. A navigational system employing ya plurality of devices adapted to receive and pass transmitted energy having a frequency mod-ied by Doppler frequency shift, said devices being positioned in a known location, an alpha computer connected to each of said devices, means for inserting the frequency of the transmitted energy and its velocity in said alpha computer, a gamma and beta cornputer connected to each alpha computer,` means for inserting the velocity of the transmitted energy into said beta computer, and a simultaneous equation solver receiving the output of the gamma and beta computers and yielding vehicle position and velocity information, said solver being connected to receive coordinate position data for each of said devices, each alpha computer having means for deriving the quantity alpha interms of the known value of the velocity of the transmitted energy, the known value of the frequency of the transmitted energy and the frequency of the transmitted energy modified by Doppler frequency shift, said gamma and beta computer having means for squaring the alpha output of the alpha computers, meansV for differentiating with. respect to time the output of the alpha computers and means connected to said squaring and dierentiating means for deriving beta and gamma quantities as a function of alpha, the derivative of alpha with respect to time and the velocity of the transmitted energy and said simultaneous equation solver having means for computing the said vehicle position and velocity information in terms of the velocity of the source of said transmitted energy, the computed gamma and beta quantities -and the known position coordinates of each of the said devices, the quantities alpha, beta and gamma being defined yas follows:

alpha ta =v0 (91) in water and f1 is a Doppler shifted frequency. p

5. A navigation system employing a plurality of devices adapted to receive and pass transmitted energy having a frequency modified by Doppler frequency shift, said devices being positioned in a known location, an alpha computer connected to each of said devices, means for inserting the frequency of the transmitted energy and its velocity in said alpha computer, a gamma and beta computer connected to each alpha computer, means for inserting the velocity of the transmitted energy into said beta computer, and a simultaneous equation solver receiving the output of the gamma and beta computers and yielding vehicle position and velocity information, said solver being connected to receive coordinate position data for each of said devices, a recording and display device connected to said solver, each alpha computer having means for deriving the quantity alpha in terms of the known value of the velocity of the transmitted energy, the known value of the frequency of the transmitted energy and the frequency of the transmitted energy modified by Doppler frequency shift, said gamma and beta computer having means for squaring the alpha output of the alpha computers, means for differentiating with respect to time the output of the alpha computers and means connected to said squaring and differentiating means for deriving beta and gamma quantities as a function of alpha, the derivative of alpha with respect to time and the velocity of the transmitted energy and said simultaneous equation solver having means for computing the said vehicle position and velocity information in terms of the velocity of d? gamma (v) 1 wherein fo is sound frequency in water, V0 is sound velocity in water and f1 is a Doppler shifted frequency.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,785,307 12/30 Hammond 340-6 2,817,081 12/57 Roberts 343-9 2,968,034 1/61 Cafarelli 343--112 3,082,420 3/63 Ramsayer 343-113 KATHLEEN H. CLAFFY, Primary Examiner. CHESTER L. USTUS, Examiner. 

1. A NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM EMPLOYING A PLURALITY OF DEVICES ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND PASS TRANSMITTED ENERGY HAVING A FREQUENCY MODIFIED BY DOPPLER FREQUENCY SHIFT, SAID DEVICES BEING POSITIONED IN A KNOWN LOCATION, AN ALPHA COMPUTER CONNECTED TO EACH OF SAID DEVICES, A GAMMA AND BETA COMPUTER CONNECTED TO EACH ALPHA COMPUTER AND A SIMULTANEOUS EQUATION SOLVER RECEIVING THE OUTPUT OF THE GAMMA AND BETA COMPUTERS AND YIELDING VEHICLE POSITION AND VELOCITY INFORMATION, EACH ALPHA COMPUTER HAVING MEANS FOR DERIVING THE QUANTITY ALPHA IN TERMS OF THE KNOWN VALUE OF THE VELOCITY OF THE TRANSMITTED ENERGY, THE KNOWN VALUE OF THE FREQUENCY OF THE TRANSMITTED ENERGY AND THE FREQUENCY OF THE TRANSMITTED ENERGY MODIFIED BY DOPPLER FREQUENCY SHIFT, SAID GAMMA AND BETA COMPUTER HAVING MEANS FOR SQUARING THE ALPHA OUTPUT OF THE ALPHA COMPUTERS, MEANS FOR DIFFERENTIATING WITH RESPECT TO TIME THE OUTPUT OF THE ALPHA COMPUTERS AND MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID SQUARING AND DIFFERENTIATING MEANS FOR DERIVING BETA AND GAMMA QUANTITIES AS A FUNCTION OF ALPHA, THE DERIVATIVE OF ALPHA WITH RESPECT TO TIME AND THE VELOCITY OF THE TRANSMITTED ENERGY AND SAID SIMULTANEOUS EQUATION SOLVER HAVING MEANS FOR COMPUTING THE SAID VEHICLE POSITION AND VELOCITY INFORMATION IN TERMS OF THE VELOCITY OF THE SOURCE OF SAID TRANSMITTED ENERGY, THE COMPUTED GAMMA AND BETA QUANTITIES AND THE KNOWN POSITION COORDINATES OF EACH OF THE SAID DEVICES, THE QUANTITIES ALPHA, BETA AND GAMMA BEING DEFINED AS FOLLOWS: @SP (F1 ) ALPHA (A)=VO (--1) (FO ) ( A)( A) BETA (B)=(1+--)(--) (VO)(DA ) (- ) (DT) ( A)(1)1) GAMMA ($)=(1+- )(- ) ( VO)(DA) (- ) (DT) @SP WHEREIN FO IS SOUND FREQUENCY IN WATER VO IS SOUND VELOCITY IN WATER AND F1 IS A DOPPLER SHIFTED FREQUENCY. 